Dehradun: Under the major programme “Our Environment, Our Development”, eco-clubs were opened by Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK), a Doon based NGO with the support of Sharon Bio-Medicine Ltd., Dehradun. Padma Shree Avdhash Kaushal, Chairperson Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, Project Coordinator Ms. Sonali Sharma, Field Coordinator Mr. Avdhesh Sharma, and Mr. Manoj Mamgain, Human Resource Manager, Sharon Bio-Medicine Ltd., initiated the opening of eco-clubs at different locations in the city. The opening and capacity building workshops of eco-club members was among the fifth activity conducted as part of a unique initiative “Hamara Paryavaran, Hamara Vikas”.
During this innovative campaign, eco-club openings and related workshops for children were conducted at Sri Guru Ram Rai Public School (SGRR), Patel Nagar and Government Girls Inter College (GGIC), Rajpur Road. Ms. Sonali Sharma took the workshops and educated children about the imminent danger of climate change. During the capacity building workshops, children learnt about climate change, major types of pollution, and ways to regulate them. Climate change can be curbed through some simple steps which include: Water conservation, reduction in plastic waste, maximizing energy efficiency, and community involvement. Payal Rawat, a 9 th grader from Government Girls Inter College informed other students about 3R’s for sustainability – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. During the eco-club workshop, students talked about their local environmental problems. A student named Raghav Gupta from SGRR, Patel Nagar, said “We have seen problem of water pollution near Gandhi Gram, Kanwali Road.
The people throw their garbage in the nearby river. Waste collectors do not come regularly so it a big problem for us. If these vehicles would come regularly to pick waste, we would face less problems. Our area does not even have dustbins.” The students also learned about the correct methodology for waste segregation. During the activity, they identified different types of wastes and came to know about proper waste disposal methods. The principal of SGRR, Ms. Rajesh Arora, teacher Ms. Sateshwari, and Ms. Ritu Malik, a teacher from GGIC were also present during the workshops. It is to be noted that an eco-club has also been opened at Gram Panchayat, Lower Kandoli, Sahaspur Block. The club will be looking after the conservation and management of local trees.
Another eco-club is to be opened at Constancia School, Dehradun in the upcoming days. Looking into the current scenario of environmental degradation and climate change, the organization had previously organized a road transport improvement campaign, one-day district level seminar on youth and their efforts towards environment sustainability, plantation drive, and cleanup community campaign. RLEK ensures to run awareness creation sessions in local schools in the
forthcoming days.
